The end is near. Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 episode 18, “Touch of Grey,” was written by Jennifer Muro and directed by Sung Shin.
RELATED: Read our recap of the previous Star Trek: Prodigy episode, “Brink.”
Star Trek: Prodigy “Touch of Grey”
The USS Voyager-A flies alongside the USS Protostar. Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) records an Admiral’s Log, stardate: 62091.1. With the Protostar crew behind enemy lines on Solum, Voyager is left to wait to hear from them. Chakotay (Robert Beltran) enters Janeway’s ready room. He assures her these missions take time and patience.
Then Chakotay reminds Janeway it’s the 14th anniversary of her first command. She admits it takes patience, but worries about the Protostar crew due to their young age. Janeway wonders if they were ever so young. Chakotay says the extra decade on an island doesn’t help. But he says he owes his life to her and the Protostar crew. Janeway brings up the idea of early retirement (nice try, Janeway – we all saw Star Trek: Picard Season 3). Tysess summons Janeway to the bridge.
Janeway and Chakotay arrive on the bridge and find Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) and Ilthuran (John Noble) have beamed in. Wes collapses, saying he doesn’t know what’s coming next.
Dammit, Wesley!
Soon Ilthuran and Wes are being treated by The Doctor and Counselor Noum (Jason Alexander) in sick bay. Wes says he couldn’t see it coming. While his neural pathways have been damaged, Wes’s unique physiology means he’ll survive. However, it will be a matter of time to determine if his abilities will return. Janeway learns that Wes was intentionally captured, so as to manipulate Asencia (Jameela Jamil) into creating the wormhole necessary to close the Protostar time loop. But, due to Asencia capturing the Protostar crew, they are off any path with which Wes has familiarity.
Meanwhile, Asencia makes a planetary broadcast announcing she has caught alien invaders. She reveals the captured Dal R’el (Brett Gray), Gwyn (Ella Purnell), Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui), Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas), Zero (Angus Imrie), Murf (Dee Bradley Baker) and Maj’el (Michaela Dietz).
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Asencia dares Janeway to come pay the price rather than leave the Protostar crew to pick up the bill for her. Tysess says Janeway is too important to exchange for the cadets. But Janeway isn’t about to let her crew suffer in her stead. Janeway, Chakotay, The Doctor and Wes form an away team to head down to Solum.
On Solum, the Protostar cadets are being transported via prison train. Not even Murf can escape. Dal and Gwyn discuss the situation. Gwyn laments splitting the team. But Zero says, “Uncertainty is the predecessor to hope.” Maj’el points out that they have accomplished part of Wes’s plans. Plus, Rok points out that “even good things can come out of bad situations” (like Bribble). The prison train arrives at its destination and our heroes and unloaded.
Trojan Vau-Nakat Ship
On the Protostar, the away team, Ilthuran, Tysess and Hologram Janeway watch the vehicle replicator building a ersatz Vau’Nakat shuttle. A planetary transporter block means this is the only way onto Solum will be sneaking in with a ship. Ilthuran offers to join the team. Janeway says he’s essential for Solum’s future and should remain out of harm’s way. He’s uploaded the coordinates they’re heading towards into the ship. Nearby, Hologram Janeway reveals to The Doctor that she’s a big fan of his Holo-Novels.
The away team leaves Voyager on the replicated ship and heads towards Solum. As they fly, Janeway tells Wes he should ask Beverly Crusher how she is himself. The Doctor uses a fake voice to convince Solum security checkpoint that their ship is legitimate. His execution is questionable but effective. Janeway orders Wes to take them down. The ship lands on Solum and the away team disembarks. Chakotay locates the Protostar crew and the away team heads off.
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Meanwhile, the Protostar crew find themselves amid the ruins of an ancient city from Solum’s past. Zero realizes it’s been turned into a cage from which no one can escape. Asencia mocks them. Then she reveals she’s captured one of the Loom. It emerges from its pit and menaces our heroes, who flee.
Elsewhere, the away team works their way towards the Protostar crew. They reach the location where the crew is being kept. But they realize it’s a dire situation. Janeway emphasizes that they need Starfleet Officer Wes. Chakotay and Wes are sent around back, while Janeway tells The Doctor to join her. She mentions Asencia as they go.
Back in the Saddle
As she watches the Protostar crew being chased by the Loom, guards bring Janeway to Asencia. Janeway says she’s there to negotiate the release of the prisoners. Meanwhile, Chakotay and Wes have located a way in, once the guards are cleared. Chakotay apologizes to Wes for earlier remarks and thanks him for his part in the rescue. The guards move and Chakotay and Wes are able to enter.
The Loom continues to chase after the Protostar crew. Rok says the Loom looks sick. Zero reads its mind and determines it is fearful and lonely. It’s trapped, just like them. Meanwhile, Janeway attempts to convince Asencia to accept her in lieu of the Protostar crew. But Asencia says she lured her to Solum because she knows there are no other Starfleet vessels coming. So she would rather kill Janeway. Asencia fires a phaser at Janeway’s chest.
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Rok wonders if they can help the Loom. But Jankom says it will eat them in spite of its loneliness. It is revealed that the Janeway talking with Asencia is The Doctor in disguise. He hams it up to distract Asencia for as long as possible. Meanwhile, the real Janeway has joined Wes and Chakotay in attempting to open the door behind which the Protostar crew is being kept.
Zero physically contacts Janeway and informs her the Loom inside is a prisoner, too. It wants out just as bad. Janeway improvises. She sets her comm badge to explode and puts it on the door. The ensuing explosion releases the Loom. It abandons the Protostar crew to escape. Asencia realizes “Janeway” is The Doctor. But The Doctor beams away before they can do anything about that. Soon the Loom attacks Asencia and her guards.
Escape
The Protostar crew meets up with the away team (minus The Doctor). They can’t beam out or get back to their ship. But Wes is able to bring the ship to them. The Doctor joins them, too. While guards approach, their replicated ship arrives. Our heroes climb aboard and escape. Asencia orders them shot out of the sky, but it’s futile.
Next, Ilthuran sends a planetary broadcast urging the people to revolt. Asencia is mad. Jankom compliments Janeway on her percussive maintenance. Chakotay says “You’re welcome” to Murf. Rok geeks out over Wes. The Doctor tells Maj’el the long and awkward working title for his next holo-novel. Dal comforts Gwyn, telling her the battle for Solum isn’t over.
RELATED: Read all of our Star Trek: Prodigy recaps.
Gwyn tells Janeway they aren’t out of the woods. Dal joins in, saying they must finish their mission. But Janeway and Chakotay are already in agreement. Janeway says boldness isn’t just for the young, and a united Starfleet can always overcome. The ship carrying our heroes reaches Voyager.
All 20 episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 are currently available for streaming on Netflix.
